Bookish Propaganda I Am Falling For

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A post shared by Charlotte 🌻 | bookstagram (@read_with_charlotte)

Now that I’ve gotten the propaganda I am not falling for out of the way, it’s time to discuss those I am falling for instead! Do you agree with any of these?

Reading for joy

For many, reading is a hobby and an enjoyable experience. It’s a way to escape reality and engage with our imagination temporarily. It shouldn’t be something that is forced (unless you’re studying a text and need to know it for an exam/course); it’ll only lead to burnout and a dislike for the activity otherwise. Read what you love too, and try not to let other people’s opinions or thoughts on a book influence the way you feel about it.

DNFing

This leads me on to DNFing. For the longest time, I always thought not finishing a whole book meant I wasn’t a “true” reader (I know, it’s pretty ridiculous, but that was how my mind worked!). However, this mindset led to many occasions where I had no interest in the book I was reading, and simply forced myself to get through it just so I could say I had finished it and mark it off as “read” on Goodreads.

I got sick of doing this towards the end of 2023 and decided to set a bookish goal for myself at the start of 2024 to give myself permission to DNF a book if I wasn’t feeling the vibes or couldn’t get into it after a few chapters. This has really helped me to figure out which tropes I love reading about, and how I rate and review books overall. It’s completely okay to not want to continue a book you started or had high hopes for. Sometimes your expectations were too high, or an element of the narrative ruined it for you. I tend to DNF books because of plot holes and long narratives that seem to drag on forever! It could also be an author’s writing style that might not suit you, too. Whatever it is, you have the A-okay from me to ditch the books you don’t enjoy and pick up ones you do!

Having a library card and borrowing books from the library is just as valid as purchasing books from a bookstore

This is something a lot of my Booksta friends keep telling me to do, and I’m guilty of not doing it yet. It’s not that I don’t want to; I haven’t been able to find time to head to my local library and get my library card re-registered. I promise it’ll happen one day, though!

But on to why we should borrow books more. On the whole, it’s cheaper and much more sustainable if you’re trying to save money and stop yourself from buying books at bookstores. Books are still books even if you don’t own them—they’re to be read at the end of the day anyway!

Reading retreats or days dedicated to reading

I don’t do this enough either. With my to-do list ever-growing every day, I never have a lot of time to read. I’m definitely all for allocating specific days or holidays to the hobby, even if it means going somewhere outside my house or favourite coffee shops!

Rating books based on vibes instead of a criterion

I started my Bookstagram having a specific criterion I would follow and use when reviewing the books I read. Over time, however, I would catch myself rating books really highly because I loved everything about them. Nothing in particular, just the overall vibes it gave off. I used to belittle myself for doing this (“This isn’t right. I should be reviewing this more critically!), but more recently started embracing it because not every book is perfect. Yes, the writing might not be on par, and the pacing was a little off, but did I enjoy the ride and fly through the pages? Absolutely!

Plus, sometimes it’s difficult to gauge why you might’ve liked or disliked a book because of how specific your criterion is; going by your vibes could make this a lot easier and accessible for you.

Forgetting everything about a book after finishing it

Following on from the previous point, it is absolutely okay if you can’t remember a single thing from a book you read. This happens to me a lot when reading Fantasy, only because there is always so much worldbuilding to consider and many characters to remember. I normally like to note down the key/my favourite points to help me write my reviews, but I know it’s not feasible sometimes or I just can’t be bothered. I’m better at remembering things that happen in Thrillers though; a lot of crazy stuff happens in them!

It’s alright if you need to re-read or skim through a book again to remind you of what happened. There isn’t a rule that says you can’t pick it up again after finishing it.

Respecting other people’s bookish thoughts and opinions

This is a big one. Books are meant to be enjoyed, but they might not be enjoyed by everyone. This is fine and should be respected. The Booksta community is really friendly in general, but I’ve witnessed instances of people attacking specific users because they’ve said something or openly liked a book/character/relationship/trope they didn’t. If you don’t agree with someone, you don’t need to engage. I love how everyone brings their own emotions to a book, and how drastically different their perspectives might be compared to mine. I may not necessarily agree with them, but it’s eye-opening to hear and read about.

Taking longer than the average time to read a book

I have no idea how I could do this when I was in my high school years, but I can no longer get through a book as quickly as I could back then. I used to be able to read a book a day (and know friends who can do this!), but slowing down and taking my time with one was better for me to process everything that was happening. I also have life responsibilities that come first which limit my time in the day to read. There is nothing wrong with reading slow, I just take a little longer to get to the end!

Having a million book boyfriends

My boyfriend hates me for this (in a joking way, of course!), but I feel like I’m collecting book boyfriends left, right and centre like I’m completing my Pokédex in Pokémon every time I read something and have no shame in it! I’ve loved every MMC I’ve come across—grumpy, broody, morally grey, golden retriever, sunshine—and refuse to choose any favourites; they’re all amazing and lovable in their own ways.

Staying up at night to finish a book

This is basically a given if you’re a reader. I can’t recall how many times I’ve stayed up all night finishing a book because of how good it is! It’s so bad for my body clock and circadian rhythm, but I swear there’s a certain thrill that comes with reading and going through an adventure with your favourite characters when it’s dark and quiet.

Preferring the villain over the hero

MMC or not, if a bad guy appeals to me (Loki hehe!), I’m automatically siding with him or her. There’s something alluring about the villain’s charm too, whether it’s their charisma, motives or their complicated past. Most villains are misunderstood and deserve at least a big hug!

Supporting other bookish creators

I’m saving the best for last. One thing I love about the Booksta community is its warmth and friendliness! I remember being welcomed with open arms when I first joined and met many bookish creators who have now become some of my closest friends on the platform. No matter how big or how many followers a bookish creator has, let’s make sure to keep supporting them however we can!